Number of fertilizer fines increased by 2018 percent in 40

The number of fines, orders subject to periodic penalty payments (LOD) or warnings in the fertilizer sector increased by almost 2018% in 40 to 3.674, writes Minister Carola Schouten (Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality) in her answer to questions from the House of Representatives.

In 2018, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO.nl) imposed 3.674 fines, LODs and warnings, up from 2017 in 2.662. In addition, it appears from the answers from Minister Schouten that the total amount is considerably higher: in 2017 it was €2,1 million and in 2018 it rose to €11,4 million.

Big difference in business
Schouten further writes that the total amount every year differs considerably and is strongly dependent on 'big business'. "There were a number of major issues in 2018, mainly in the control of usage standards and accountability," writes Schouten. In 2017, only 1 fine of more than €100.000 was imposed, compared to 18 last year. Also, in 2017 there were only 3 fines between €50.000 and €100.000, compared to 2018 in 33. The number of fines of less than €2.000 decreased in 2018 from 886 to 659.

According to the agriculture minister, the increase in the total fine amount and in the number of fines, LODs and warnings is mainly due to the use of increasingly sophisticated data analyses. As a result, the administrative investigations lead more quickly to an administrative sanction than with a random sample approach.

Read the entire letter from Schouten here.

Kimberly Baker

Kimberly Bakker is an all-round editor at Boerenbusiness. She also has an eye for the social media channels of Boerenbusiness.

k.baker @boerenbusiness. Nl

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